Since acquiring Hufcor Inc.’s intellectual property in June, 2023, Kwik-Wall now offers police, military, technical schools and academies, non-lethal, live-fire reconfigurable shoot houses called FlexTact®. Originally developed in the early 2000’s, the Hufcor FlexTact system is designed for the rigors required for force-on-force exercises performed within both non-lethal shoot house scenario-based training.

The FlexTact shoot house panels are specially designed to withstand marker rounds, paint ball and rubber ballistics. The highly pliable, dense side seals are designed to stop or reduce the trajectory of the low-impact rounds and allow the panels to pass by each other without having to reconfigure the adjacent panels. This novel panel design allows police trainers to reconfigure the shoot house into nearly an endless number of room layouts and options with multiple rooms and hallways perfect for active shooter, first-responder training. The FlexTact panel systems are so versatile, peace officers can set up actual floor plans for dry run rehearsals prior to a high liability entry. Try doing that with solid wall training facilities or ballistically rated live-fire shoot houses. Reconfigurability is virtually not an option when dealing with gravel-filled walls or rubber-lined bullet trap walls.

The FlexTact panels are suspended on overhead track grids allowing panels to be set up anywhere within the grid. Pass door and window panels can be set up anywhere without the need for floor pins or special stabilizers that cause a tripping hazard when not in use. The panels have a unique bottom seal system that creates downward seal force to keep the panels in place during rugged exercises. When ready to redo a scene, simply unset the bottom seals and move the panels along the smooth overhead tracking systems. Move a wall and an entirely new exercise is created. Your trainees and officers are always challenged with ever-changing scenes and conditions.

One of the main benefits of training within a non-lethal shoot house is the ability to recreate field scenarios and have actors or “perps” shoot back at the trainees. This added fear reality tends to increase heart rates and recreate the heightened stress environments faced during actual high liability encounters. Practicing in these environments helps to reduce dangerous mistakes in the field, lowering the risk of accidents and the liability associated with them. Evidence that police training does lead to fewer civilian shooting victims in entry situations. According to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Criminology (2019), providing additional training to police officers can result in significantly fewer civilian shooting deaths in comparison to officers who only receive standard training. Another study suggests that teaching officers de-escalation tactics can reduce the number of fatal shootings of civilians.

Anecdotal evidence also suggests that live-scenario police training improves outcomes in several ways. One study highlighted the benefits of scenario-based training in keeping officers’ skills sharp and preparing them for real-world situations. This type of training provides officers with the opportunity to experience unpredictable scenarios where they must make split-second decisions, enhancing their ability to respond effectively in high-stress situations. The FlexTact system can enhance these types of training by simply reconfiguring the system within minutes to provide a new endless set of real-world spaces train.

Furthermore, scenario-based training allows officers to practice critical decision-making, communication, and de-escalation techniques. By simulating real-life encounters, officers learn to assess situations, engage with individuals, and make appropriate use-of-force decisions. This type of training can contribute to better decision-making skills and reduce the risk of excessive force or unnecessary use of firearms.

Scenario training helps officers develop situational awareness and adaptability by exposing them to various scenarios and challenges they may encounter in their day-to-day work. This can enhance their ability to assess and respond to potential threats or dangerous situations more effectively.

In summary, live-scenario police training has the potential to improve outcomes by enhancing officers’ decision-making abilities, communication skills, and situational awareness. Providing realistic and immersive training experiences,  can contribute to better preparedness and a reduction in adverse incidents.

Another benefit of the FlexTact system is that Kwik-Wall also offers an overhead support system allowing a system to be installed within almost any facility with 10’ or more or overhead space. Shown below is a FlexTact system installed at a facility in Minnesota being supported by Unispan overhead support system.

The Kwik-Wall design team can provide assistance directly to police training personnel or their architectural team looking to install a system. Based on dozens of installed systems globally, our team can recommend some scenarios and panel counts to meet space and training requirements.

Unispan Partition Support Systems

Sample Room Configuration

Watch the video below to see the system demonstrated using a four-officer leap-frog clearing technique by SWAT trainers in Florida.

For more information about FlexTact® systems, please contact your local Kwik-Wall distributor or contact Ryan Holbrook, Kwik-Wall’s FlexTact Project Manager and Product Manager, at holbrookr@kwik-wall.com.

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